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Witness to the WorldWitness to the World David Peterson, Principal of Oak Hill College, ably edits and introduces this collection of papers on the theme of Missiology given at the second Oak Hill Annual School of Theology in 1998. Like any collection of papers, the significance of the contributions varies. Paul Weston's paper on the contribution of Lesslie Newbiggin is completely outstanding. This chapter is a 'must read' for any thinking pastor or student. It's a great introduction both to Newbiggin and to the study of mission in a Western culture. Alan Storkey's paper on the Bible's politics is also very creditable - not because you'll like all of it, but because he is highly likely to provoke and stimulate you in an area where evangelicals too often fear to tread. Bear with the provocation. The man's got a point! Andrew Hartropp (Biblical Justice and Modern Economic Life) and Graham Cole (Proclaiming Christ in Post-modern Times) tread on well-worked ground, but do so with balance and erudition . . . if that's your sort of thing. All in all, this was a helpful contribution in an area that demands evangelical response . . . particularly in the non-Anglican sector of evangelicalism. All too often, those of us who live here seem to hold the same truths, but are in danger of dividing seriously over the way we communicate them to our culture. This volume comes to us as a challenge not to accept by default the habits of our confessional subculture, but to establish reasons for holding out truth the way we do. It challenges us in the crucial area of the way we present the people of our generation with the good news about Christ. What could be more important? We should be grateful to our brethren at Oak Hill for the intellectual and spiritual stimulus we might receive from this book. Faithful are the wounds of a friend . . . so read it! Simon Bowkett© Evangelicals Now - November 1999 |